A judge has been assaulted in court by a member of the public during a hearing, police said.

Suffolk police were called to Ipswich crown court at about 11.30am on Monday following the attack on Judge John Devaux by a man sitting in the public gallery in court two.

The judge's robes were reportedly pulled and his wig came off during the incident.

Devaux returned to court moments after the incident. Apparently unflustered, he told the court: "I think we're all unharmed." He then continued to hear cases.

The man was initially dealt with by court security guards and held in cells at the court.

Jaimie Budd, who was in the public gallery, told the BBC: "He got up and ran to the judge's bench. He ran up the steps and started battering the hell out of the judge. He pulled his robes, his wig came off. It was extremely horrific."

Police said a man was being held in custody.

A spokesman for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service said: "There was an incident involving a member of the public and a member of the judiciary at Ipswich crown court. This is now a police matter."

The incident happened as Devaux sentenced Philip Graham, 30, of Haverhill, Suffolk, to 30 months in prison for causing death by dangerous driving.

Graham, who was convicted following a trial earlier this year, killed Derek Foster, 37, a father of two, when he hit his motorcycle on the B1054 in July last year.